Waking from drug sleep tangled night,
sahara mind extending to incognita
ripples round a fire still burning
at the back behind the ears;
flames curl over the scalp,
here and there exploding
pointlessly, above my eye
or inside the ear.
My teeth feel
TEXT
上德不德，是以有德；
下德不失德，是以无德。
上德无为而无以为
下德无为而有以为。
上仁为之而无以为；
上义为之而有以为。
上礼为之而莫之应，
则攘臂而扔之。
故失道而后德，
失德面后仁，
失仁而后义，失义而后礼。
夫礼者，忠信之薄，而乱之首。
前识者，道之华，而愚之始。
是以大丈夫处其厚，
不居其薄；处其实，
不居其华。故去彼取此。
TRANSLATION
The best virtue (Te) is not virtuous and thus has virtue.
Lesser virtue is not
TEXT
道常无为而无不为。
候王若能守之，
万物将自化。
化而欲作，
吾将镇之以无名之朴，
镇之以无名之朴，
夫将不欲。
不欲以静，天下将自定。
TRANSLATION
Tao is always wu wei and nothing fails to get done
If rulers can hold to it
all living things will transform of themselves.
The urge to change and meddle
I shall subdue by m
MERIT TRANSFERENCE
In Buddhist temples we often perform merit transference ceremonies in which we wish for the transference of merit to people in need. We hope that they will be relieved of suffering or helped along their spiritual path. We can under
Read more…TEXT
将欲歙之，必固张之；
将欲弱之，必固强之；
将欲废之，必固兴之；
将欲取之，必固与之。
是谓微明，柔弱胜刚强。
鱼不可脱于渊
国之利器不可以示人。
TRANSLATION
If you want to gather, first spread out
If you want to weaken, first strengthen
If you want to abolish, first foster
If you want to take, first give
This is c
Resonance is the transmission of a vibration from one body to another. Bodies are so constituted as to be amenable to vibrating in distinctive ways. Thus, soldiers crossing a metal bridge are generally commanded to break step while on the bridge beca
Read more…In The 37-Bon-Bodai-Bunpo, Dogen says “prevention of that which has not yet occurred is called the Buddhadharma”. This is said in the context of his commentary upon “The Four Kinds of Right Restraint” which is a classical Buddhist teaching. The four
TEXT
执大象，天下往。
往而不害，安平太。
乐与饵，过客止，
道之出口，淡乎其无味，
视之不足见，听之不足闻，
用之不足既。
TRANSLATION
Attain the great principle and the world under Heaven goes along;
goes along but without harm, in complete peace and calm.
Music and food will induce a passing traveller to stop,
but
KARMA & REBIRTH
Karma is what is reborn. At the end of a life one looks back. A process of life review occurs. From this review something stands out as the hallmark of the life that has been lived. Perhaps it was a particular meeting: “In this life I
TEXT
大道汜兮，其可左右
万物恃之以生而不辞，
功成而不有。
衣养万物而不为主，
常无欲，可名于小；
万物归焉而不为主，可名为大。
以其终不自为大，
故能成其大。
TRANSLATION
Great Tao is a stream that divides and reforms, now left, now right.
All living things rely upon it to grow and thrive and it is there for them.
Good work accomplis
In Karma 1, I introduced the common idea of karma as a moral profit and loss account in which good is rewarded and bad reaps its corresponding negative effects. However, there are deeper ideas of karma that we can explore that can be useful to conte
TEXT
知人者智，自知者明。
胜人者有力，自胜者强。
知足者富，强行者有志，
不失其所者久，死而不亡者寿。
TRANSLATION
To understand others is wise, but to know oneself is radiant.
One who wins victories is powerful, but one who conquers himself is stronger.
The contented are rich.
Those who use force are
The layperson to the sage
The sage shows love to the layperson by
A common way of explaining karma is by using the idea of bija. A bija is a “karmic seed”. We can think of karmic seeds as planted in the ground of the mind. A seed can stay in the ground for a long time before the conditions arrive that enable it to
Read more…Translation, notes and metrical explanation copyright 1997 Elizabeth Vandiver; all rights reserved.
Iridescent-throned Aphrodite, deathless
Child of Zeus, wile-weaver, I now implore you,
Don't--I beg you, Lady--with pains and torments
Crush down m
